One implementation of a communication system employs time division multiplexing (“TDM”). The communication system comprises central equipment connected with a plurality of communication nodes. The central equipment comprises switching capabilities.
Strategies for time slot assignment and bandwidth assignment in the communication system aim to minimize requirements for bandwidth through the central equipment, especially to and from the communication nodes. The switching architecture of the communication system presents only a fractional part of the total system bandwidth to the communication nodes, especially remote nodes.
For communication other than a voice conference, a narrowband signal sent through the fractional bandwidth from one communication node is switched, virtually, through the central equipment and delivered to another communication node. If a full duplex connection between communication nodes is required, a similar return path is set up.
For a voice conference, a number of narrowband signals from participating communication nodes are sent through fractional bandwidth channels to the central equipment to be summed, and then sent through a fractional channel to each communication node participating in the voice conference. There may be multiple simultaneous conferences. In addition, a communication node may contribute to more than one conference.
To perform the above-described switching and conferencing, the central equipment requires significant processor power that comprises intelligence capabilities. In one example, the implementation employs many processors, for example, one processor for each of the communication nodes. In another example, the implementation employs a pair of massive processors for all the communication nodes. The requirement for this processor power in the central equipment presents an expense to the implementation of the communication system.
Thus, a need exists for enhanced handling of information among central equipment and communication nodes. A further need exists for decreased requirements for intelligence capabilities of the central equipment.